River Roads Lutheran School allowed to stay open for remainder of school year

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ST. LOUIS (KTVI) - River Roads Lutheran School in north St. Louis will be allowed to keep their doors open for the remainder of the school year after uncertainty grew due to financial reasons.

"Excited. It's definitely exciting" said River Roads alumni and current teacher James Mitchell. "Just because I know it gives us a little bit of time to get to the end of the school year but still that challenge lies ahead of what do we do in the long term" he said.

Mitchell was a member of the first Pre-K class at River Roads. High School and College graduations later, he now teaches within the very walls that gave him his start.

"There are definitely a lot of memories of this place from school and programs and different activities that's why it's kind of so important that we really keep this school in this area and in this community" Mitchell said.

In January, the school learned they would be forced to close this month if they couldn't come up with $175,000. They turned to their own fundraising efforts. Parents stepping up to the plate to help save their school.

"When I walked through the door I said I want my kids to go here... even though nothing was up to date here" said parent Tracy Williams. "So I just couldn't see them going down like that if I could help make a difference" she said.

The school's board notified them Monday night that the school will be allowed to stay open for the rest of the school year, while they get to work on a strategic plan for the future.

"It's still some uncertainty, how far we will go beyond this... here for five years, six years, 10 years, I don't know" said teacher Aaron Craig. "The most exciting part again is to have that opportunity right now" he said.